FRHD 2270 Lecture Notes - Critical Period

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Family Relations and Human Development
• Course: FRHD 2270
• Professor: Robyn Pitman

Document Summary

Evidence for inborn mechanism: brain regions are known to be involved in language processing; left hemisphere is critical in understand language. Broca"s area: necessary for combining words into meaningful sentences; suggests that we have specialized neural circuits for learning grammar: only humans learn grammar readily; neural mechanisms unique to humans. Studies found that deaf children have developed basic communication into a signed language with its own grammar: critical period for learning language; birth to 12 years (spoken or signed); if not acquired then, they will never master language. Studies on bilingual children: the more words you learn and master, the more complicated sentences you will make; related within but not across language. Adults correct mistakes for word meaning; use one label consistently for objects; do not provide correct feedback on grammar. Correct indirectly through continuing the conversation with the child; 2 ways : recast: restructure inaccurate speech into correct forms, expansion: elaborate on child"s speech and increase its complexity; ex.